TWO DAYS LATER Two days had slipped by. The mansion had remained quiet, almost like it was holding its breath for what was coming next. And now, the day had arrived. Today, Olivia would make the public statement that would change everything. People would be watching, judging, picking apart her every word, her every gesture. One wrong move, and it could destroy not just Christopher’s image, but her only chance at saving her brother. She hadn’t slept much the night before. Even though she’d closed her eyes, her mind had been awake, restless, circling the same thoughts over and over again. But when morning came, she got out of bed. There was no turning back. Nathan had remained in the house the entire time. He hadn’t said anything about leaving, and somehow, his presence remained like smoke in every room. He was still his usual sarcastic self—watchful, sharp, always smirking like he knew what no one else did. And Christopher? He was distant, still guarding his emotions, but Oli
Racheal didn’t argue. She didn’t nod either. She just stared down at her hands, silent and defeated, her thoughts too tangled for words. Sophia didn’t push further. She knew when to speak, and when to let silence say the rest. The room felt heavier than it had minutes ago, weighed down by all that had been said… and what hadn't. Then a knock came at the door, breaking the stillness. Both women tensed slightly, then exchanged a glance. Sophia offered Racheal a faint, reassuring look before rising from the edge of the bed and walking to open it. A maid stood outside, her head already bowed low. Whether it was fear, respect, or both, she didn’t speak until spoken to. “Dinner time?” Sophia asked curtly. The maid nodded quickly, not daring to lift her gaze. Sophia rolled her eyes and flicked her hand, dismissing the girl. The maid scurried off down the hall. “Go wash your face,” Sophia said, turning back into the room. “You don’t want to show up looking like a ghost.” Rache
Later in the day, as the sun began to dip lower in the sky and shadows crept into the corners of the house, Sophia returned home. Her steps were quick and slightly heavy... she was tired, ready to drop everything and rest. But the moment she opened her bedroom door, she froze. Racheal was sitting on her bed. She hadn’t expected to see anyone there, especially not Racheal—arms crossed, eyes narrowed, and lips pressed tightly together in a deep pout. Her whole body was stiff, like she’d been sitting there for a while, stewing in silence. Sophia’s eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “Rach?” she called gently, stepping inside and letting her bag fall to the floor. “What’s wrong?” She crossed the room and sat next to her on the bed. The silence between them was heavy, and Racheal didn’t even glance her way. Sophia tried again, her tone soft and caring. “Hey, I’ve had a really long day. Talk to me, please?” That did it. Racheal turned to face her sharply, and that’s when So
Christopher took his time, carefully explaining every detail Olivia needed to understand, the rumors, the expectations, the possible consequences. His voice was steady, but beneath his composed tone was a quiet urgency. When he finished, he fell silent, letting it all sink in. Olivia didn’t speak immediately. Her gaze remained distant as her mind worked through everything he’d said. The words circled in her head like smoke.. reputation, scandal, statement, trust. If what he was saying was true, then she wasn’t just a bystander. Her name was tangled in this too. People were talking, about her, about them. About the nature of their relationship. She hadn’t even left the house that day, and yet her name was apparently traveling faster than her footsteps ever could. She bit her lower lip, pulling her knees in slightly as if trying to draw some warmth into her cold limbs. “How exactly am I supposed to help?” she asked finally, her voice soft but clear. She looked up at him with cau
The car rolled to a smooth stop in the parking lot of the house. Christopher stepped out first, followed closely by Racheal. As if on cue, three male servants hurried toward them, heads bowed in deference. “Offload the car and bring it with me,” Christopher instructed, his tone clipped. Then he turned to Racheal. “You can go rest. Thanks for your help.” He didn’t wait for a response. He turned coolly and walked away. Racheal’s face flushed a deep shade of red, her chest rising and falling with suppressed fury. That was it? A thank you? No acknowledgment, no invitation inside, no offer of company, after everything? Her hands balled into fists as her heels clacked angrily against the ground. This wasn’t fair. Nothing about this was fair. And she wouldn’t sit quietly and let it go. Sophia had to hear about this the moment she got back. Someone needed to understand just how far Olivia’s presence was pushing her. Christopher walked through the halls with a strange heaviness in hi
Racheal let out a shaky, awkward laugh. It was dry, forced. Her lips trembled as the sound escaped, and for a moment, she looked as though she might have misheard him. Disbelief washed across her face, her features contorting slowly from surprise to devastation. Christopher, still seemingly oblivious to the weight of what he’d just said, scratched the back of his head casually. “I don’t really know how these things work,” he said, as if trying to explain something mundane. “I need her help, so I thought… maybe if I got her a few things, it would make her more willing. You girls like that, right?” The sentence hung in the air like a slap. Racheal’s mouth parted, and for several seconds, no words came out. Her eyes widened, blinking rapidly as though trying to process each word he’d just said. Then slowly, she closed her mouth and swallowed hard. Her throat was suddenly dry, and her heart had begun to pound—not with joy this time, but with a rage that curled its fingers around
Racheal’s hands trembled slightly as she applied the final stroke of her lipstick. She could hardly believe it, Christopher had called her. Not Sophia, not a relative. Her. And he said he needed her. Just the memory of his voice, smooth and serious over the phone, was enough to send a thrill down her spine. It wasn’t every day that Christopher Brooks reached out to her first. In fact, it was rare, so rare she could count the times on one hand. He was always reserved, composed, and painfully guarded with his emotions. But this? Asking her to come shopping with him? That felt personal. It had to mean something. Maybe he was finally seeing her worth. She’d spent years dancing around him, dropping hints, showing up in her best clothes, laughing at his driest jokes, just waiting, praying, that he’d glance her way and see not just Racheal, the friend of his family, but Racheal, the woman. And today felt like her chance. She chose a black dress—short, tight, elegant but daring. Somet
Jane made her way to the dining room where Christopher, Sophia, and Racheal were already seated. As she approached, all eyes turned to her, though Christopher’s gaze was the sharpest. His brows immediately knit together when he realized Olivia wasn’t with her. That same heavy feeling crept into his chest again—annoyance filled with something more uncomfortable. The last time he raised his voice at her, she’d avoided him at the dining table too. And now, again? "Master," Jane began with her usual composure. "Miss Olivia won’t be joining for breakfast. She says she isn’t feeling well." Christopher's jaw tightened slightly, his expression stoic for a moment. His fingers drummed against the edge of the table before he leaned back in his chair, clearly displeased. "She’s sick?" he asked, voice low but sharp. "Yes, sir," Jane replied. "She said she’d prefer to eat in her room." He clicked his tongue, his eyes narrowing. Was this her excuse now, to sulk in isolation whenever so
There was no answer. Olivia’s knuckles hovered mid-air before she knocked again, this time louder and firmer. “Mr. Christopher?” she called, her voice carrying a thread of hope and desperation. Still nothing. She was just about to turn away when the heavy door creaked open. And there he was. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, his hair slightly tousled, but his expression was what stole the breath from her lungs. Hard. Cold. Distant. Her lips parted to speak, but for a second, no words came. “I—I just wanted to—” “Are you deaf or just stupid?” he snapped, voice cutting through her like a blade. “I said I didn’t want to be disturbed. Why is that so hard to understand?” Olivia froze. The warmth she’d felt earlier, the hope of finally getting to speak with him, to tell him what had happened, crumbled like paper in her hands. “I only came because—” “Leave,” he barked. “Now.” Olivia took a step back, the sting of his words more painful than she’d imagined. His tone wa